Toad in the Hole, a Taste of Great Britain. Talk about British comfort food with a foodie creative twist! Imagine Yorkshire pudding encasing lovely delicious sausages wrapped in bacon and brightened with roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs. Definitely a ride on the amazing flavor train!
Song of the day: "The Show Must Go On" by Queen.
This Recipe is worth a try!
Toad in the Hole, a Taste of Great Britain. If you were scared of making Yorkshire and never have, this recipe will change your mind and you will be floored by the romance of flavors and textures consequently leaving you with a smile on your face and some food love inside you!
It's good to be back!
I feel it has been a while since doing a recipe for 'Eat the world'. It sure feels good to be back on board. Making recipes from around the world resonates so well with me because I have always had a passion for bringing cultures together through food! Think about it: food is the way to any person's heart and it is a way we open our hearts and minds to acceptance! Let's dive into this Toad in the Hole, a Taste of Great Britain!
This month stop for the Eat the World group is England.
Give Credit where Credit is Due..........
I have to give Nicoletta credit for this recipe. She researched food of Britain and sent me two different versions of this Toad in the Hole. The first one was pretty to the point: sausages in Yorkshire pudding. The second one had color, intrigue, and pizazz. As a result, can you guess which one I picked? Obviously the more creative, you know me so well.
Let's gather up the ingredients:
- Flour
- eggs
- mustard
- whole milk
- sausages
- bacon
- cherry tomatoes
- olive oil
- fresh thyme and rosemary
Now that we have the ingredients, it is time to get organized and do some prep because this recipe is truly about timing.
The secret to Yorkshire Pudding!
Firstly what I have learned about making this English pudding is you have to be fast and you need some good fat and a very hot casserole dish to make it work. However frightening, it really is not that bad. Secondly, make sure that that batter is blended well and has time to rest and mingle.
Now that we have some knowledge and all our ingredients are prepped such as:
- batter mixed
- sausages wrapped in bacon
- bacon cut to be sauteed
- milk measured
- herbs on hand
Let's get Cooking!
So batter is ready and is resting we have some time to get these sausages cooked up. I heat the olive oil in a saute pan with the cut up bacon, and in goes our pigs in a blanket. A little food love goes into this pan turning the sausages gently as to not have them come unwrapped.
When they are done take them out and set aside.
This Step is Crucial!
Don't throw out that bacon fat we are going to pour that into the casserole dish and make sure the sides are coated and into the oven it goes. Once it is nice and hot take it out of the oven however you have to be quick.
In goes the wrapped sausages and immediately pour in the Yorkshire batter. In go the tomatoes and the sprigs of rosemary and quickly back into the oven it goes to bake to sheer perfection.
Gotta love the sizzle!
I have to say when you pour the batter in, it immediately begins to sizzle meaning nice crispy bits. Can't wait to taste this dish!
It's all about the Aroma the Aroma the Aroma!
The aroma in the kitchen is like music to my ears good music, bacon, sausages, roasting tomatoes, wow. However, we still have some work to do as this is baking.
We need a gravy, something that the Yorkshire can take in and pump up the flavors and textures of this up to extreme notches.
For the Gravy:
- red onion
- flour
- Pan drippings
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Gravy is easy: heat up oil, throw in onions, saute till soft and sweetly aromatic, sprinkle in flour to make a rue, and slowly pour in stock and let bubble to a rich consistency. Finally, season.
That's it!
The Test!
Okay, it is ready nice and hot out of the oven, and a nice portion into my plate. A little dab of gravy will do you and we are ready to taste this creation.
I'm in Heaven, I'm in Heaven I'm so high that I can hardly speak!
Okay, where do I start, firstly the Yorkshire is so crispy on the surface and the interior is like velvet to the palate.
The gravy sits in those airy pockets so well, and its richness really takes this dish into luxuriousness.
Secondly, the sausage is so juicy and tender and with that bacon wrapped around it, nice and crisp and smoky sweet has my mouth singing Hallelujah.
Those acidic/sweet notes from the roasted cherry tomatoes are a welcome accompaniment to everything and the thyme in the pudding plus the rosemary add so much in flavor to make every bite an amazing experience.
Truly heart warming and comforting to my soul this dish is!
Final Thoughts.....
Many say that the food in England is much to be desired. I beg to differ. Things are changing in Great Britain thanks to the passionate chefs and multi-culturalism. The country is plentiful in quality ingredients and freshness, all that is needed is some foodie love and you have a recipe for success.
Don't know what to make for the family Sunday dinner? I have an idea. How about this Toad in the Hole, a Taste of Great Britain? Enjoy!
Cheers!
Song of the day: "The Show Must Go On" by Queen.
Print
Toad in the Hole, a Taste of Great Britain
Toad in the Hole, a Taste of Great Britain, talk about British comfort food with a foodie creative twist! Imagine Yorkshire pudding encasing lovely delicious sausages wrapped in bacon and brightened with roasted cherry tomatoes. Definitely a ride on the amazing flavor train!
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
Ingredients
Toad in the Hole:
- 125 g all purpose flour
- 2 medium organic free-range eggs
- 1 tsp whole grain mustard
- 175 ml whole milk
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme stripped
- 1 Tbsp e.v.o. oil
- 5 good quality pork sausages
- 7 strips maple cured bacon
- 12 - 14 organic cherry tomatoes
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary stripped
Onion Gravy:
- 2 Tbsp e.v.o. oil
- 1 red onion finely chopped
- 15 g all-purpose flour
- 250 ml beef stock
Instructions
Toad in the Hole:
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large bowl sift flour, make a well, and crack eggs into the well.
- With a wooden spoon incorporate flour and egg until it becomes smooth, then add mustard and ½ the olive oil.
- Start to pour milk a little at a time and whisk until it is smooth and lumps are all gone. The consistency should resemble a loose cream.
- Set aside and let rest.
- While mixture is resting, wrap one slice of bacon around sausages and cut the leftover two slices into small pieces.
- Drizzle remaining olive oil into a saute pan and toss in cut bacon.
- Place bacon-wrapped sausages and cook for about 10 minutes a side, when done set aside.
- Take a 14-inch oval casserole dish and pour bacon fat from the pan where sausages and bacon cooked.
- Using a brush make sure sides and bottom are coated really well with the bacon fat. Place in oven for about 15 minutes.
- Take out of oven quickly and place sausages in and quickly pour in egg flour mixture. Toss in cherry tomatoes and rosemary. Throw casserole into the oven and bake for 35 minutes.
Onion Gravy:
- Pour olive oil into a medium pot, toss in onions and cook for about 10 minutes on medium to high heat.
- Sprinkle in flour and stir well. When a paste forms, slowly add beef stock and whisk until mixture comes to a bubbling simmer. Take off heat and stir frequently.
- Take casserole out of the oven and let sit for a few minutes
- Ready to serve with onion gravy.
Enjoy!
Notes
- Use your favorite sausages.
- You don't have to wrap the sausages in bacon or add cherry tomatoes if you want.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Meat and poultry
- Method: sauteing/ baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: sausages, organic free range eggs, thyme, rosemary, bacon, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, onion gravy,
Check out all the wonderful English dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!
Camilla: Britain's Favorite Game Bird: Roasted Pheasant
Juli: Lancashire Hotpot with Lamb
Lynda: Cottage Pie with Mashed Cauliflower Topping
Loreto and Nicoletta (Us!): Toad in the Hole, a Taste of Great Britain
Simply Inspired Meals: Wizarding World Beef and Guinness Stew
Margaret: Easy Fish and Chips and Mushy Peas
Wendy: Venison Shepherd’s Pie
Amy: Leaky Cauldron Mini Cottage Pie
Sue: English Crumpets
When I am not cooking, I enjoy playing musical instruments, singing, writing. I have learned over the years to live in gratitude and enjoy the moment.
Kelley says
Sounds really flavorful and interesting, definitely a challenge but one with results that make it worthwhile. You've definitely made me want to give this a try. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Your are so welcome Kelley, and thank you! So glad I researched a bit about Yorkshire pudding and tricks to having a successful one. It was so so good, crispy, fluffy, soft and with that gravy heavenly!
Cheers!
loreto
Wendy Klik says
Oh my goodness Loreto. I don't know what I thought toad in a hole was but it wasn't this gorgeous, delicious looking dish that you served up. I am drooling over this recipe.
I am smiling ear to ear, you have definitely boosted my ego a bit, lol. Thank you. Wendy I didn't know what toad in the hole was, I was thinking frog legs in some kind of deep bread or dough resembling a hole. After I saw it I knew I wanted to add some color and me to the mix. The end result a pretty spontaneous and creative finally don't you think? So glad you liked it! Wish I could have shared it with eat the world group!
Have a wonderful week!
Loreto
Camilla at Culinary Adventures says
I LOVE the look of the sausages wrapped in bacon in this dish. I don't think I've ever seen that. Bravi!
Thank you Camilla, It was so good. The flavor the bacon gave to the Yorkshire pudding was amazing and when I poured the batter into the hot dish it was sizzling and I knew we were going to have a wonderful surface and so much caramelized flavor especially with the roasted tomatoes! Thank you!
Cheers!
loreto
Margaret@Kitchen Frau says
Wow, Loreto! I always thought Toad in the Hole was an egg in a hole in a piece of toast! You've introduced this amazing British version of a comfort food that just begs to be eaten right now. I absolutely love Yorkshire pudding and can just imagine how heavenly it must be when you add bacon and sausages and all the good things you put into it! You've turned it into a dish fit for royalty - the perfect thing for an English challenge! Yum.
Hi Margaret, thank you so much. I am always trying to do my best to re create these world recipes with a sense of honor and creativity. I was quite happy with this one and really it was so so delicious. I would make it again! I would hope the royal family would like for me to make this for them, lol.
Have a wonderful week!
Lets plan a dinner together soon!
Cheers!
loreto
mimi rippee says
This looks really wonderful. British food changed quite a while ago thanks to a few notable chefs, all of whom got training in France! Thank goodness. I've been to fancy restaurants, even a Gorgon Ramsay and the like, but gastropubs are my favorites! This meal would be typical at such a pub. Flavorful, and far from the boring, traditional original version.
Hi Mimi, I agree British food has come a long way, and there is so way to much in fresh ingredients to let it go to the recipe waste land. I would love to visit one day maybe hangout with Jamie or Gordon! Can only dream! lol. I was really pleased with this dish and it was my first time making the Yorkshire Pudding so I am giving me-self a wee pat on the back! I am so glad you liked it!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Cheers!
Loreto